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Nord wrote: Thanks and sorry for the sidetrack Brain Cloud
Nord

Homey, we're part of the No-SWS club. My thread is your thread.

SleepingUgly wrote:Brain Cloud, how is it going on CPAP of 21??

Norco hasn't called for me to pick up the loaner yet. I doubt it'll be much different than 20, though. Generally, I average an AHI of about 5.2 per night though it varies from 2-7.5. It's not terrible, but not great either.

brain_cloud wrote:

SleepingUgly wrote:Brain Cloud, how is it going on CPAP of 21??

Norco hasn't called for me to pick up the loaner yet. I doubt it'll be much different than 20, though. Generally, I average an AHI of about 5.2 per night though it varies from 2-7.5. It's not terrible, but not great either.

I have no idea how you tolerate 20. I'm having earaches and aerophagia with APAP 11-13.

ozij wrote:

DoriC wrote:Braincloud, Why don't you ask SWS about SWS? Sorry, I couldn't help it!

Well, that one is another "-SWS"....

O.

Yup! Those are my real initials as well as my sleep stature: "minus SWS". I'm not completely SWS deficient. And my sleep tends to be easily disturbed from the likes of pain and sensory input. I went to the titration study intentionally sleep deprived and still managed some spontaneous arousals.

Good luck to Brain_Cloud and Nord as you both pursue better SWS and better sleep!

SleepingUgly wrote:

brain_cloud wrote:Seems like the thing to do is to undergo PSG after taking some substance that 1) raises the arousal threshold so high that nothing is going to trip it (not stray hypopneas, not leg movements, not a Grateful Dead concert), and 2) does not extinguish SWS as part of its own effects. Obviously while using CPAP too.

Hmmm, that wouldn't be Ambien then. It would raise your arousal threshold, but it decreases SWS. I don't know if Gabitril would be sedating enough for you that it would raise the arousal threshold enough for your purposes. Possibly, but who knows.

The problem with these "SWS enhancers" is, if you take it and still no SWS, what do you conclude? Gabapentin is another antiepilepsy drug that enhances SWS and helps to consolidate sleep and is also used to treat RLS and PLMD. I was taking it during that last sleep study. That was one reason I had high hopes for that sleep study. Also (not a joke) it was in a nice hotel that the sleep center has permanently reserved two rooms in. So it was a better atmosphere than the usual sleep lab experience. I had the hookers out by 10pm , took my gabapentin, and drifted off to la-la land.

Another SWS enhancer is a hot bath before bed (read the chapter on thermoregulation in sleep in Dement, Roth, and Kryger).